The Perks Of Hiring Your Best Customers

Why social enterprises should look at their own customer base as a source of talent

Within the community of people with special needs children, the adage “parenting as a full-time job” is especially true and that job doesn’t come with paid vacation.  

In my case, as a mother of 6, the daily challenges of caring for, protecting, and generally worrying over my children occupy a lot of my time - add to this mix a son with severe autism and his needs threaten to eclipse everything else in sheer time allowance alone. As my son has gotten older and requires more individualized attention and therapeutic help, working a “regular” job has become next to impossible. Across the US, parents of special needs children struggle to raise their children while balancing careers.  With data showing that 67% of caregivers face unemployment, securing a stable source of income to juggle alongside parenting duties can be a hassle in itself. 

My story starts when my son was four years old and first diagnosed with autism. Since that time Z. has earned his reputation as the best “runner” in the family and is prone to wander or run off on a whim. He has no sense of danger and finds relief from discomfort through movement; the easiest way for him to calm down is to run. One day while I was at work at a nearby nursery and he was with his grandmother, he took off. That moment shook me. I needed a solution. Not long after, I bought a simple GPS device that could attach to his clothing without disturbing him, which allowed me to know if he left the safety of his guardian. We became big fans of the device which gave my son a sense of independence and me some peace of mind. After some time, I received an email advertising open positions tailored to parents of special needs kids at that same GPS company and I knew I had to apply. 

It was the best decision I could have made. 

I started with AngelSense as a customer care and support worker over the phone during the hours my son was in therapy. The role was a natural fit and when I said to parents that I understood their frustration I really meant it. It became more than a paycheck to me, with each conversation expanding my mind as to what a diverse population autism affects. 

Not long after I moved into a technical support role giving me the opportunity to grow more professionally than I ever thought I would. Prior to working with AngelSense I didn’t really have any knowledge of GPS or cellular technology, but the company has really invested in my growth. In my final interview before I took the role, the CEO Doron Somer, also a father to a child with autism, walked me through how the device operates and spent dedicated time with me to ensure I felt confident explaining the device to others. That level of care towards employees is commendable and I believe rare in most call centers where employees are unlikely to see the CEO even in passing.  

In addition, employing parents like me with hours flexible enough to accommodate our other “full-time jobs” is an intentional element of the organizations hiring policies, and should serve as a model for other companies just now learning the value of working from home. 

The company understood the worth of looking at their own customer base as a source of talent, and in doing so creates a win-win for all of us involved. I feel empowered and valued by the community I serve, and my employer knows that I’ll give it my all because I’m invested in the success of the company.

Start-ups and established companies alike should consider creating similar working models around the people they hire. In the social field, this could mean taking on employees personally familiar with the issues a company is tackling. 

AngelSense isn’t the first nor will it be the last to recognize this – cases exist in counselling centers that employ former at-risk teens, community leaders who once accessed the same support they now help distribute, and people with various disabilities tending and assisting each other are just a few examples worth noting. 

This system also yields benefits for the employer, too. Hiring actual users of the product or service guarantees that customer care specialists are true specialists! In this way, not only are clients getting services from those most qualified to deliver them, but the workers themselves are employing their experiences to helping others, at a pace tailored to their real lives.

In my case, working for a company that has helped me, alongside people who share similar experience makes “going to work” rewarding. 

If more social initiatives and people minded companies extended their care to their hiring policies in addition to their products, I believe we would see great dividends in employee loyalty, customer relations, and of course – the bottom line.